The invention relates to a pressing machine and method, with a bottom form, onto which pressing material is laid from an operating side, and with a top form which can be lowered onto the bottom form and which can be lifted off from the bottom form.
It is known, in pressing machines of this type, to tilt the top form rearwards and upwards from the operating side, to lay the pressing material onto the bottom form and then to pivot the top form onto the bottom form towards the operating side and press it onto the bottom form. With the top form swung up, the operator is exposed to thermal radiation up to head height. During the pivoting of the top form onto the bottom form, momentum is transmitted from the top form to the pressing material and is absorbed by the pressing material, with the result that highly sensitive pressing material can be damaged.